


Earth

by peaspods



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-12
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2018-12-27 06:03:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12075003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peaspods/pseuds/peaspods
Summary: All gems are inherently superiorthe earth corrupts them





	1. Formation

All gems are inherently superior;

The earth corrupts them.

 

Black. Cold yet embracing blackness surrounded her. The ground trembled and the walls squeezed around her as a faint red glow spread gradually. She was growing, the walls were cramped, and she was being pushed. Out and up to the crust on the planet. Ruby burst out of the ground and onto the surface. She knew what she was now, going from complete unknowingness to complete awareness in the span of a few moments. Brushing some crumbs of rocks off of her shoulders, she looked around.

A Peridot stood before her, entering data into her logs. “Ruby-3F3 Cut-2ND, gem location; nose.”

Ruby saluted the kindergartener before her. She was tall and had a dark olive hue. Her gem was located on her neck, and it was just barely visible under her jawline. Her eyes were hidden behind a visor, but Ruby could make out a piercing glare shining from underneath them. Apparently she was on a colony called “Merkyuri”; a minor gem-harvesting planet nearby the upcoming major colony Earth. Looking around, she saw other Peridots managing other Rubies that were also emerging.

One that was of a lighter coloring emerged across from where 3F3 had. Her gem was on her cheek and she looked off. Her arms were lanky and stringy, not big and wide like Ruby’s own. The Peridot assigned to the deformed gem walked over to it, pulling out a destabilizer. Without warning, she destabilized the its physical form and crushed its gem in her hands. Ruby shivered. Sure that gem was defective but watching that happen was somewhat unnerving.

A Rose Quartz gem approached her Peridot. Ruby could only see one of her eyes. Her hair was thick, wavy, and devoid of any curls. Her Pearl trailed close behind her. Both of their gems were on their right hands. “Peridot 3xP, how are my Rubies doing?” Her voice was cold and dry, like an icy desert.

“Th-they are emerging as planned, your clarity. 3F3 over here has by far the best exit marks so far, she’ll be very sturdy.” Peridot ran her fingers over the small hole Ruby had come out of. It was still hot and steam rose from the back inner wall out into the atmosphere. Ruby puffed up her chest at the indirect praise and saluted her superior, trembling slightly.

“At ease,” Rose barked at her, tone betraying her words to insinuate an uneasy tone of malice. “How much longer until they are _all_ done forming, 3xP?”

Ruby looked up at the canyon walls of “Merkyuri”, counting all the different spots were a dull red glow could be seen. None of them emerged yet, though; the lights were just trembling behind the terra they grew within. She vaguely overheard Peridot squawking about how gems take time to make, and she pondered if those few moments of glowing light were much longer than they seemed. As if on cue; 3 Rubies popped out of the walls and they too got told their cut and introduced to their superior. Ruby wondered how many more gems were to emerge today, or just on this planet in general. Would she ever see it again once she left?

Rose’s sharp voice cut her out of her thoughts,“Pearl, escort these Rubies to the ship, I’ll join you shortly.”

 

The other Rubies had their gems in various places,and they all bounded over to their new sister, following the silent Pearl as they chatted casually.

The Ruby with her gem on her leg nudged 3F3, smiling jovially. “Hi there,” her voice was airy and light as she continued to speak,“I’m 3F4,who’re you?”

“Ruby if _I’m_ 3F5 and _she’s_ 3F6, then the one you’re talking to is obviously 3F3, she was made before us,” the Ruby wearing a visor interjected.

Ruby blushed and laughed nervously. “Oh, not by that much, besides we’re all kindergartenmates, it doesn’t matter who emerged first; weren’t we all put in at the same time?”

The youngest Ruby had a navel gem, and she was walking at the back of the formation, not really talking much at all. The others, however began to murmur and agree about 3F3’s observation.

“Merkyuri” was a dark muddy red, and the nearby star heated it quite considerably, but Ruby didn’t mind. The warmth of the planet made her feel homely, and she looked around to take in the scenery before they would be leaving. Huge gaping craters where gems were being injected into the terra surrounded the grounds save for the pathways they were walking on. Large lumbering quartz soldiers marched in unison across the terra, shaking the ground as they walked by. Before she knew it, Ruby was at the port.

Pearl stopped and bowed, opening the door to the ship. It was pink, of course, and the Rubies were escorted to their quarters.They were cramped and small somewhat, with a pink glow coming from overhead. 4 Ruby-sized seats were facing each other in the cabin. Ruby didn’t see any other gems on the walk over, but she would assume there are many other soldiers aboard.

Looking at them before shutting the door, Pear spoke in a quiet underused voice, like a rusted flute, “You’ll be meeting your diamond soon.”

The ship’s Ruby quarters were dead quiet on their flight to earth,each of the aforementioned gems contemplating their inevitable diamond encounter. Ruby 3F3 looked out the small window into the vast sea of stars they whisked by. Each twinkling hopefully in the black abyss of space. Ruby found herself lost in the ocean of matter, and she drifted into deep thought, to the point that she did not hear her superior calling her until it was too late.

A harsh kick to the shoulder greeted her. “3F3, we’ve landed. Get yourself presentable for your Diamond” Rose sneered. She turned heel and left.

Oh gee.


	2. Diamond Encounter

Earth was bright, it was colorful, there was much more than just red dirt that decorated the planet. It was like a flourishing exhibit of organic life. Ruby reached out and touched the ground with her hands as she exited the ship. It was covered in an organic plant that was all over the place in green wispy bundles that were long and adorned with various other flora. The hum of lifeforms that were small with hard exoskeletons perched in the green echoed as Ruby followed Rose Quartz.

She and her fellow Rubies all looked around in silent awe before they were stopped before a grand pink palanquin, adorned with a pink earth plant called the “haal-ee-hohck”.They entered the room, and a massive Pink gem appeared; Pink Diamond. 

She was huge, massive, bigger than the stars it seemed. And she spoke with a gentle voice. Rose and the other rubes saluted her, and Ruby fumbled quickly to do the same. 

“Rose Quartz, 1xO.”

“Yes, my diamond?” The quartz soldier was timid as she spoke, and Ruby could see her tremble slightly.

“You are to be assigned to attend to my Zoo near the orbit of Saturn, and I will be passing your ruby fleet onto my trusted Carnelian, 9xJ, do you understand?”

Clearly unhappy with the thought of being cooped up in a remote station, Rose nodded hesitantly. Pink Diamond chuckled.

“Do not fear, my child, you are to be the quartz in charge of the facility, as I trust you with such a responsibility.”

The Rose Quartz’s face lightened for the first time Ruby had ever seen. “Th-Thank you, my diamond! I will not let you down.”

“I know you won’t”.

Rose was dismissed and Ruby and her cohorts were now the center of attention. As the Diamond’s gaze burned though Ruby’s skin she understood Rose’s nervousness. It was so intense to be addressed by such a being. 

Pink Diamond clapped and a Carnelian stepped out, proud and tall. She looked down at Ruby, making the young gem shiver apprehensively. Why were commanding gems so scary?

“Carnelian 9xJ,” The Diamond spoke.

“Yes, your grace?”

“You know of your duties, that will be all.” She clapped again and Carnelian turned heel, the rest of the rubies following suit.


End file.
